Chapter 20: The Mask (Witness)
Eliott's POV
So annoying! It's been a whole week since I talked to Scarlet. A. Whole. Damn. Week. Why did I even said it? It's been two years since we saw each other and now she's back, I even treated her like that. Well, didn't I have a point? She's not a police so she shouldn't meddle with our work. She's even the one who left us without saying anything. Wait. Us? Ah no! Her friends. Yeah, right, her friends.
"Argh, "Why am I thinking about this?" I pulled my hair.
"You are thinking about it because it's important," I turned to the one who spoked.
"Mo—Captain Li? What do you mean?" I asked. She sat down in her chair.
"You're thinking about her because she's important to you. Because otherwise, your brain must be at work. You see, we've been investigating this case for three days now, but there's still no lead. And worst, We can't find the victim's body. The killer only sends us pictures of them," she leaned back in her chair and looked at me with a silly smile. "Then my great son, his mind was not at work at all, it is on someone else.,"
"Mom! It's not like that.," I denied.
"It's not like that? You've been distracted all week. Ellie, if you can't stand not talking to her, then you should find a way to talk to her. Not looking like a fool by pulling your hair," she nagged.
I was left speechless by what Mom said. What's the point of me whining about this if I can't do anything about it?
My attention was diverted when the door opened. Officer Archie entered, clearly panicked.
"Captain, he sent another picture," he said and handed Mom the envelope he was holding. I stood up from my seat to see what was inside.
"As you can see, it is connected to our recent case of missing children. It seems like the case we were working on is connected because we received a report that a child went missing and hasn't returned home for several days. And based on the file the serial killer gave, he has the child and his new victim," he explained.
"Captain, what should we do?," He asked.
Mom sighed and looked at me. "Officer Li, go get Scar,"
I was surprised by what she said, "What?,"
"This case won't end if the killer doesn't come out and if we don't know where he disposed the victims' bodies. So go get Scar, we need her help,"
"But,"
"That's an order!,"
I just took a deep breath because I knew that her decision would not change. "Understood, Ma'am," I saluted before leaving.
******
I'm right across from Scar's house and I have been ringing the doorbell but there was no answer. Where is she again?
"What do you need?," I jumped slightly in surprise when someone spoke behind me. "I didn't know you're a scaredy cat. So, why are you here?" she asked again.
"Mom sent me to fetch you, she said she needs your help," I answered without looking at her. How can I look at her properly after everything I said to her?
"Captain Li? Why?," she blinked since she didn't expect a police officer to ask her for help.
"You'll know when you we reach there," I answered and went to my car. She followed me and sat in the passenger seat before I started the engine.
During the trip, we knew we weren't comfortable with each other. "Willow," I called her.
"Why?," she replied while still looking outside.
"I'm sorry," she looked at me. "I'm sorry for what I said to you last time. I know you have your own reason but I became insensitive and didn't think about your feelings. So, I'm sorry,"
She leaned back against the backrest before speaking. "It's fine, I'm used to not being listened to so it's nothing new to me. And one more thing, you are right. I'm not a police so I shouldn't meddle with your matter,"
A long silence happened since we didn't know what to say until she broke it. "Actually, I ran away from mom in London. She didn't know I came back here to the Philippines," I was suddenly stopped by what she said and she still looked proud.
"Say what?!," I snorted at her. I started the car again when the car behind us horned.l
"Mom doesn't want to tell me why we needed to leave. So, if she didn't want to tell herself, I'll find it on my own,"
"You're insane,"
*****
When we got to the HQ, mom explained the case to her. Even though she was confused about what was happening and what the killer's intentions were.
.
"So, Scar, can you help us?," Mom asked.
"I'm not sure, Captain Li. Because I can only talk to the victims if I'm close to the place where they got buried. I can only talk to them there," she hesitatedly answered. So, he didn't know what to do either.
"May iba pa bang paraan para makausap mo sila?," Officer Walker asked.
Scar got tensed by what he said. "Y-yes, but it's not advisable,"
"What do you mean not advisable?," Officer Eliana asked.
"With these photos, I can see what happened to them," she held up the photos that were lying on the table and I could see the fear on her face. "In a way.... I will experience what they suffered at the hands of the killer,"
I suddenly grabbed the photo from his hand. No wonder she was scared, who wants to experience death? "Heck no you are doing this! We'll find another way to solve this case," I refuse.
"Officer Li, do you still see any other way?," Mom asked. "We don't like that method either, but is there another way?,"
"Ms. Smith, if you do it will there be any side effects?," Officer Walker asked.
She shook his head. "Apart from feeling what they experienced, there's nothing else,"
"Are you okay to do it?," I don't want to, but they're right, this is the only way. She nodded in response.
**WARNING: SENSITIVE CONTENT**
Willow's POV
I sat in a chair and looked at the photos of the victims. With so many of them, I didn't know whose memory to prioritize. Until my eyes caught something, I can't explain why but it feels like it's attracting me to see his first.
When I touched the photo, A sudden force made me leaned back in my chair and lost consciousness. This was the first time this had happened. It's not like the photos that I've touched before because I can still calm down before I look at their memory, but this one doesn't. It was forced. Unable to resist.
When I opened my eyes, my surroundings were different. I knew, I was already in their memory. The place was a bit dark and there were large plastic hanging. I also had other children with me, some of whom I saw in the picture, so that means the others are still alive. They looked terrified and just keep crying in the corner.
I feel my body slowly standing. I have no control over this body since it is just a memory, I can only feel and see what happened to them.
I walked slowly, clearly feeling pain. Until we arrived at an empty room. I looked at the papers on the desk. Lists of the names of the victims and their order. I saw some of those names on the police board earlier, they're already dead. I keep looking for an exit until someone spoke.
"What are you doing here?!" I turned to the person who spoke, I felt an instant fear in my chest. I tried to run but he caught me. He slapped me multiple times before starting to beat me.
I tried to crawl away but he pulled my hair and pulled me somewhere. Then he tied my hands and I was floating in the air. "It's not your turned yet, so why are you being so disobedient. Are you trying to disobey your father?,"
Father? "No, you're not my father! Dad, Mom, save me!," I cried. I knew this are not my memories but I can't helped but also cry. I saw how his face darkened and began to torture me again.
He started by hammering my knees and I couldn't stop but screamed. This was followed by cutting off several fingers from my body. First in my feet, then my hands. He also removed one of my eyes.
"Your really won't listen to me!? Then, you are better be off this world," the man said.
I can't stop crying over what this child has suffered at the hands of this man. I feel myself falling to the floor when he finally let go of me. He left the room and I still heard what he was said before dying. "It looks like someone will go with the others again. Viltage Tour where there are many people but no one knows that there are dead bodies under their feet HHAHAHAHA! What an idiots! Fools! What—," I didn't hear what he said next as I was thrown back in my seat. I cried so hard because I couldn't handle what had happened.
I felt someone hug me and calm me down. "It's fine, you're fine. You're back, shh," Eliot tried to calm me down.
After a few minutes I settled in. "Are you okay now?" he asked again.
I just nodded in response. I took a deep breath before explaining what happened. Eliott keep held my hand while I was explaining, as if he's trying to say 'it's okay, I'm here, no one will to you.'
When I finished speaking, all their faces were furious. "How can a person be that cruel?! That's a f***ing child?!" Officer Archie said angrily.
"Calm down, nothing can be done now. It already happened. What can we do is to give them the justice they deserve," Captain Li intervened trying to suppress her anger.
Everyone nodded. "Let's go to the Viltage Tour, we needed to retrieve their body,"